Boat.



Nb. 872,870. PATENTBD DEC. 3, 1907. B. P. WATERS.

BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 4, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

1m: NORRIS PETERS cm. WASHINGTON. n. c.

PATENTED'DEG. s, 1907. B. F. WATERS.

BOAT.

APPLIOATION FILED MAE. 4, 1907.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETER: co., wxsunvarou, L C

No. 872,870. PATENTED DEC. 3,. 190 7.

B. F. WATERS.

BOAT. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4. 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 III BENJAMIN F. WATERS, OF DOVER, NORTH CAROLINA.

BOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1907.

Application filed March 4. 1907. Serial No. 360.374.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. WATERS, a citizen of United States, residing at Dover, in the county of Craven, State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boats; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to boats and more particularly to the propelling mechanism of a boat and the primary object of the invention is to provide a propelling mechanism which will allow of a high speed of travel.

The propelling mechanism embodied in my invention comprises an endless chain of ropeller blades which travel above and be ow the boat and which are so constructed that water will be prevented from getting behind the blades and thereby retarding the progress of the boat. In other Words the prime ob j ect of my invention is to so reduce frictional action of the water upon the boat that a high speed will be attained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a boat constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, Fig. 3 is a front end elevation, Fi 4 is a detail vertical longitudinal sectionaI view, Fi 5 is a detail vertical transverse sectionaIview, and, Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the propeller blades.

Referring more specifically to the drawings the boat is shown as comprising a bottom 10, a top 11, and sides 12. The boat also includes ends 13 and 14 beyond which the sides project and journaled for rotation in the sides and at the stern of the boat is a shaft 15 upon which is arranged a pair of grooved pulleys or wheels 16 and a similar shaft 17 is j ournaled at the bow of the boat and carries wheels 18 which are also grooved. These wheels, both at the bow and the stern of the boat, are preferably so located as to be out of the water and a suitable motor 19 is geared with the shaft 15 in any suitable manner so that the shaft and its wheels will be rotated.

J ournaled in suitable pockets 20 in the top and bottom of the boat are grooved wheels 21 and these wheels at each side of the boat are in alinement with the corresponding wheels 16 and 18. Overthese wheels 16 and 18 and the wheels 21 run cables 22 which are conneoted by propelling blades of my device, which blades will now be described.

Each of the blades mentioned above comprises a blade portion 23 which projects vertically from the cable and is secured thereto by means of an attaching bracket 24 which is bent to embrace the cable and is held thereon by means of a bolt 24which is engaged through the spaced portions formed by bending the bracket. Extending from the blade 23. in the direction of travel of the cables and abutting its edge is one of a series of strips 26 which are connected in a flexible series by means of wires 25 which are engaged therethrough and through the brackets 24. The end one of each series of strips 26 has formed integral with it a blade 28 which projects in the direction of the top or bottom of the boat and at such an angle of inclination that it will deflect the water from the bottom of the boat and directly against the blade ortion 23 thereby reducing the friction 0 the water against the boat and exerting a tendency to lift the boat from the water.

From the foregoing it will be readily understood that the strips 26 travel easily around the Wheels 16 and 18 and do not interfere with the travel of the chain propeller of which they form a part.

In order that the cable may be tightened or slackened, the shaft 15 is mounted in slidable brackets 28 and bearing against the brackets are threaded stems 29 which may be turned by means of hand wheels 30' What is claimed is A boat comprising a body, pulleys mounted in pairs at the ends thereof, parallel cables trained over said pulleys and transverse paddles connecting said cables, each of said paddles comprising a vertical working portion, and flexibly connected slats disposed as an" entirety in a horizontal plane, the end ones of said slots being provided with an inwardly extending inclined deflecting blade.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN F. WATERS.

Witnesses:

WILLIE D. JARMAN, WILLIS A. WILsoN. 

